This so called Bedroom Tax

Dunroamin

TheFactory wrote: »

Just read this and couldn't agree more. My mother got her council house adapted for her needs last year and signed a piece of paper to say she would not move for 5 years. She is disabled and still lives in our family home with 1 bedroom spare and has now been hit with this reduction in her benefits - she barely had anything to live on before so now I help her out by sending her money when I get paid - I shudder at the thought of her not being able to feed or heat herself.

Why does she have "barely enough to live on" - isn't she getting all the benefits she's eligible for?

lighting_up_the_chalice

TheFactory wrote: »

Just read this and couldn't agree more. My mother got her council house adapted for her needs last year and signed a piece of paper to say she would not move for 5 years. She is disabled and still lives in our family home with 1 bedroom spare and has now been hit with this reduction in her benefits - she barely had anything to live on before so now I help her out by sending her money when I get paid - I shudder at the thought of her not being able to feed or heat herself.

Perhaps you, as a family, and your mother might like to consider the possibility that there just might be someone else who needs a secure, adapted property, who might feel that having to contribute just 14% of their already affordable rent for such comparative luxury would be a very, very, very small price to pay.

If you and your family begrudge such a minimal contribution towards your mothers safety, security and comfort so much, it may be better for you to suggest surrendering the tenancy and letting someone else have the opportunity of all those benefits for what is, effectively, little more than the price of a daily loaf of bread.

The intention to implement the bedroom tax was announced before your mother had these adaptations done. I cannot understand why it has surprised you so much!

Housing_Benefit_Officer

TheFactory wrote: »

Just read this and couldn't agree more. My mother got her council house adapted for her needs last year and signed a piece of paper to say she would not move for 5 years. She is disabled and still lives in our family home with 1 bedroom spare and has now been hit with this reduction in her benefits - she barely had anything to live on before so now I help her out by sending her money when I get paid - I shudder at the thought of her not being able to feed or heat herself.

Has she made a claim for Discretionary Housing Payments?

neverdespairgirl

GlasweJen wrote: »

Well a month into the bedroom tax and I've been told that I might actually get a council house after all.

Glad to hear it - you've had a really tough time, I've read about it over the past little while, and it's great that you might soon get sorted properly.

sunnyone

GlasweJen wrote: »

Yeah but I need to pay rent, council tax, care fees, adaptions and aids and my access to work contribution, you get a lot more "free" than I do and I certainly don't have access to a PA to help if the lift in my building dies or I need to nip to the shops, or I need help with changing a soiled nappy or want to move from my couch back to my wheelchair.

If my sister wasn't willing to sacrifice her career to help me I'd be stuck in this flat 24/7 because Glasgow city council can't even be bothered to assess me for social care.

Oh and I hope to god there's not a fire at night because unless it happens to be a night my sister is in my (unrelated, male) flat mate would have to help me out of bed, down 5 flights of stairs and that's after waking me because I won't hear the fire alarm. But that's not intrusive at all, I'd rather have someone read my mail than I would have someone carry my bag of dirty nappies downstairs for me every week.

The whole world could read my post, its just normal run of the mill post that everyone gets, needing someone to provide personel care is degrading, embarassing and not something I would wish on my worst enemy yet I have to undergo this several times per day.

Its bad enough needing someone to assist me with mundane everyday daily tasks but Im used to that now and I can live with it, I dont think I will ever get used to someone, a stranger sometimes eg. when Im in the spinal unit attending to my toilet needs.

I have to pay for the "privilege" too and its not cheap.

GlasweJen

It's not cheap, I agree but I think if I was a carer I'd want paid a good whack to change an adults bottom!

It is embarrassing needing help to the loo and it doesn't get easier. It is worse when I need to explain myself to strangers and there's only so much clever tailoring can do to help with getting clothes off when you're unable to stand up at all.

sunnyone

GlasweJen wrote: »

It's not cheap, I agree but I think if I was a carer I'd want paid a good whack to change an adults bottom!

It is embarrassing needing help to the loo and it doesn't get easier. It is worse when I need to explain myself to strangers and there's only so much clever tailoring can do to help with getting clothes off when you're unable to stand up at all.

I pay well, it makes sure that I have very good care when at home but Im back in the spinal unit tomorrow so it will be a stranger again and back to making jokes to lighten the conversation so its not quite so bad and it can get hilarious when you add in the deafness .

You havnt had long being unable to stand jen, it does get a little bit more managable but it will never becomes "easy" like it is for AB's because clothes just are not made for us.

MathewJ

claire2k wrote: »

I know it does not affect me and yes it is a reduction in housing benefits AKA bedroom tax does nobody get what i am saying here.
If the council see fit to house you in a property that is too big then how can they say at a future date it is too big. They put you there in the first place

Hi Claire,

20 years ago you may have 'needed' 3 bedrooms as your children where young - 20 years later they maybe living in their own homes.
As people have stated earlier - if you pay the full rent then this is all immaterial, however anyone of us can have massive circumstantial changes which effect your income and ability to pay the bills - you are far from unique, but most of us don't first jump on the 'what can I get for nothing' bandwagon...and you are not even in this 'dire' situation yet?

You currently won't be effected if you are a pensioner - I don't know how old you are, but the Government have made pensioners exempt from the bedroom tax.

Personally I don't see why someone can be exempt in a 5 bedroom house living alone - just because they are 65 years old, while a guy with kids from a broken marriage has to live in a 1 bedroom or shared accommodation property (if he is under 35) and is unable to have his young children to stay with him overnight anymore???